Fuse for projectiles



D. A. PISTORIO.

FUSE FOR PBOJECTILES. APPLICATION FILED APR 9. 1921 Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

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latented fies. l2, i922 gfrgpr w s? DOMINGO A. PISTORIO, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FUSE FOR PBOZI'EG'IILES.

Application filed April ,9,

ments in Fuses for Projectileaof which the following is a specification. v I

This invention relates to fuses for projectiles, the said invention having relation more particularly to fuses which are released by centrifugal force during the flight 'of the projectile and are detonated upon impactof the projectile,although this sequence of operation is not an essential part of the in vention, since it is possible for the device to operate by being heldagainst release by centrifugal force to be detonated upon impact of the projectile;

it is an object of this invention to provide novel means for operating firing pins. radially or laterally of the fuse, and to provide novel means whereby a'cha-rge carried by the fuse will prove effective to detonate the projectile; and the invention further contemplates the provision of means for retarding the explosion after impact, through the employment of means for causing the slow firing of the charge within the fuse.

. or by mechanically retarding the action of the firing pin or pins on the caps which are used to fire the charge.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a fuse of the character indicated which may be detonated through the employment of laterally operated firing pins, or by the use of a stationary firing pin with relation to which a plunger moves on impact of the shell; and it is furthermore object of this invention to provide a removable firing pin for use'in the last mentioned contingency, in order that it may be placed in operative position with relation to the plunger, or may be stored in a threaded aperture of the fuse to be placed in operative relation to the firing pin if the firing is tobe accomplished through this last mentioned method, and if the firing pin is stored out of operative relation to the plunger, a plug is employed for closing the aperture in which the firing pin would be seated if it were to operate in conjunction with the plunger.

A still further object of this invention is to produce a fuse having a plunger retarding element effective to hold the plunger during the flight of the projectile, and op:

1921.. Serial No. 459,855.

erative to release the plunger on impact of the projectile, it being the purpose of the inventor to cause the plunger to move for-. 'wa'rdly a slight distance when the centrifugal =locking means have been operated, to release the plunger and there held during theflight of the projectile, as stated, to be released upon impact of the projectile.

A further object ofthis invention, is to I produce .a plunger having charge retaining chambers and passages leadingthereto to be occupied by'an explosive which will convey the lire from the caps to the explosive.

charge; and furthermore to provide a fuse comprising parts which are readily assembled and in which the explosive charges are held in place and protected; and the said nvention furthermore contemplates the provision of means which will safeguard the fuse in case of explosion of the charge contained within the plunger, since clearance is provided between the plunger and the. body o-f:-the fuse which will absorb the shock of the ignited explosive charge without cau ing a fracture of .the body of the fuse 'or the explosion of the charge for firing th charge in the projectile. it is a further object of this invention to produce a centrifugally operated plunger" locking-mechanism associated'with means for holding parts thereof assembled in the body of the fuse; and furthermore to produce a fuse of the character indicated which will possess advantages in points of efiiciency.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists 1n the details of construction, and in the arrangement andcombination of partsto be hereinafter more view of a fuse embodyingthe invention;

Figure 9. illustrates a sectional view' on a line corresponding with the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 1 Figure 3 illustrates a sectional. view on a line corresponding with the line of Fig. 1; Y

Figure 4- illustrates a sectional vieW on Hit,

% line corresponding with the line 44 of Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of the plunger sleeve;

Figure 6 illustrates a perspective View of the plunger locking bolt; and

Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of one of the laterally operated firing pins.

In these drawings 10 denotes the body of the fuse which is externally threaded for a portion of its length, the said fuse having tool engaging apertures such as 11 by which the fuse may be screwed into or out of the projectile, and a threaded recess 12 in its end in which a firing pin 13 is stored to be used, as will presently appear. 7

The body 10 has an opening 14 in its outer end extending back a distance which may be varied tov suit particular requirements, and the said body is also provided with laterally extending apertures 16 in which the plunger locking bolt 1'? are slidable, the said bolts preferably having recessed outer ends 18, in which springs 19 are seated, the said springs having their outer ends bearing against disks 20, held in place by split rings 21 seated in grooves 22 in the walls of the apertures at their outer ends. The disks preferably have vents 23 by which air is admitted through apertures 24 of the bolts to the interior of the plunger, as will presently appear. The plunger 25 has a head 26 with seats 27 formed in it- .for the reception of the locking bolts, and an apertured plug 28 is threaded through this head, and it has vents 29 registering with the apertures or" the bolts and with ports 30 formed laterally of the head, so that air may circulate through the bolts, head and plug to reach the interior of the plunger, as will presently appear.

A sleeve 31 is located in the opening 14 and its external diameter is equal to the cliameter of the opening, in order that it will bear against the wall of the opening or chamber 14. The sleeve has a flanged inner end, as shown at 32, which flange fits against the periphery of the head 26 and forms a guide for the head as it moves with the plunger, as will presently appear.

The plunger has radially extending apertures 33, preferably at its inner end, each of which apertures is occupied by a hollow bushing 34 threaded in the said apertures, the said bushings forming housings or guides for the firing pins 35 which are slidable therein, under the influence of pressure applied to them. as will presently appear. The firing pins have transversely disposed apertures 36 which receive pins 37, the said pins projecting from the flange, and these pins are operative to hold the firing pins while the parts are in the normal positions shown in Fig. 1. The pins 37 are stationary with the sleeve, or may be removably applied to the sleeve or the flange thereof, but they release the firing pins when the plunger is actuated. The plunger has, in the present embodiment, a longitudinally ex- .tending channel 38 merging with laterally extending channels 39, which latter merge with the apertures 33. Caps 40 are seated on the shoulders at. the points where the channels 39 merge with the apertures, and these caps are intended to be punctured by the firing pins to ignite a charge of powder which is applied to the channels 38 and 39 to form a train for conducting the fire from the caps to a charge 41 of explosive which is located in a chamber 42 in the plunger. The channel 38 communicates with the chamber 42 through ports such as 43, although any appropriate means of con1munication may be provided to permit the train of ignitible matter to reach the charge stored in the chamber, and the inventor does not wish to be limited with respect to this. In the present embodiment, the charge 41 is held in the chamber by a protecting strip which may be of celluloid, paper or the like, embraced by sheathing 45 applied to the outer surface of the plunger,- and this sheathing may be held in place in any appropriate way asby crimping the sheathing on the plunger. The outer end of the plunger has a cap. seat 46 in which a cap 47 is stationed, and this cap seat is in communication with the chamber 42 through ports such as 48, so that'if the cap 47 is detonated, the charge within the chamber 42 will be ignited and, as shown, the channel 38 may extend from one end of the plunger to the other, or practically so. The inner end of the channel 38 is guarded by a Wad Or disk 49 of celluloid, paper or the like, for the purpose of holding the explosive charge from escaping into the plug, but it is the purpose of the inventor that this wad or disk should be displaced when the train is ignited, in order that air may be present to support combustion. V

The body is externally threaded, as at 50, at the outer end and internally threaded, as at 51. A flanged hood 52 has threads which engage the threads 51, and this hood forms a chamber in which the plunger slides upon impact of the projectile. An outer hood 53 has an internally threaded flange 54. which engages the threads of the body. the said hood 53 being in spaced relation to the hood 52, in order that an annular chamber 55 will be produced between them, for the purpose of holding an explosive charge 56. A. retaining band or lining57 fits within the hood 53 and has its end crimped to a flange of the hood 52, as at 58. Vvashers 59, pref erably of asbestos, are employed at the ends of the chamber 55 and they serve to retain the charge in place during the loading process.

The inner and outer hoods have coinciding apertures and 61 respectively, the walls of which are threaded to receive a plug 62, and this plug is interchangeable with the firing pin 13, so that if the cap i7 is to be detonated upon impact of the shell, the firing pin 13 will be substituted for theplug52, and then upon the forward movement of the plunger, the cap 47 will be impinged by the firing pin.

The interior wall of the hood has an annular chamber '63 therein, forming a seat for a split ring 64:. The split ring has beveled surface 65 whichforms a cam to be engaged by the plunger for spreading the ring upon impact of theprojectile to permit the plunger to move forwardly, although the ring is of such rigidity as to delay the forward movement of the plunger.. It will follow, therefore, that when, under centrifugal force, the head of the plunger is released, it may be permitted to move into engagement with the split ring where it will be held until impact of the projectile, and therefore, when the centrifugal locking means have once released the head, they cannot here-seated on account of the fact that the seats have moved out of alinement with the locking devices.

As a means for moving the laterally operable firing pins, the sleeve 31 has a longitudinally extending slot 66 for each firing pin, which form clearances for movement of the pins as they are carried by the plungers. The slots extend through the sleeve for portions of their lengths and then are reduced in depth thereby forming camming surfaces 6? which engage the ends of the firing pins and cause them to be forced inwardly as the plunger moves longitudinally of the sleeve. To the end that these devices may operate without undue friction, the outer ends of the firing pins are rounded, and it will be apparent that when these outer ends strike'the.

beveled or camming surfaces 67, they will be forced inwardly so that the firing pins will detonate the caps. It vwill alsobe apparent that since provision is made for having the pins. 37 held by the flange of the sleeve, the firing pins will be released when the plunger moves to carry them beyond the ends of the pins 37, and they will then be free to be forced inwardly, as described. By this construction, positive operation of the laterally projecting firing pins is insured, and since provision is made for utilizing a plurality of firing pins, the effectiveness in firing will be assured, and there will be no liability of a misfire.

The sleeve is preferably threaded in the body at its outer end, as shown at 68, and the said body, sleeve and the two hoods are locked against movementwith relation to one another by a laterally extending locking pin (39, which is threaded through coin,- ciding apertures of the outer hood and body,

I have described which are radially operated, and have also provided means for operating them. It is to be understood that the number of firing pins may be increased or diminished, according to the requirements in practice, andthat one, two or more may be employed. l have described one interchangeable firing pin forv the end of the plunger, but it is tobe understood that one, two or more of such firing pins may be used in the end of the fuse, and

that a like number of caps will be carried by the end of the plunger, but as this merely involves the duplication of parts, one skilled in the art will understand how they may be installed to produce the results intended.

The firing pin 13 is employed primarily when instant firing is desired, and is omitted when delayed firing is desired, as is accomplished through the use of the train from the laterally disposed caps.

The shoulder A formed on the inner end of the hood 52 acts as an abutment for the plunger and arrests it prior to the time the end of the plunger reaches the outer end of the hood,'as it is the purpose of the inventor to prevent impact of the end of the plunger.

with the endof the hood, a condition which a plurality of firing pins would fracture the hood and release the ex ally extending firing pins mounted in the plunger to move radlally and adapted to be pushed inwardly by the camming surfaces of the sleeve, caps carried by the plunger in the path of travel of the firing pins, and an ignition chargecarried by the said plunger.

2. In a fuse, a body having achamber, a plunger slidable therein, centrifugally operated means for holding the plunger before the projectile is fired, a firing pin extending radially and having movement with relation; to the plunger, a cap in the pathof travel of the firing pin, an ignition charge within the plunger to be fired by the explosion of thecap, and means for moving the firing pin inwardly as the plunger moves in the body.

3. In a fuse, a body having a chamber, a plunger movable longitudinally thereof, centrifugally operated means for holding the plunger against movement prior to the time a projectile is in flight, a firing pin movable radially of the plunger, a cap in the path of travel of the firing pin, means for normally holding the firing pin retracted from engagement with the cap and operative to release the firing pin upon movement of the plunger in the body, means for forcing the firing pin inwardly during the movement of the plunger, and a firing charge carried by the plunger to be ignited by the cap.

4:. In fuse, a body having an opening therein, a plunger having a head movable in the opening, means engaging the head for normally holding the plunger against movement and operative to release the said plun- ,cer when a projectilecarrying the fuse is in flight, the said plunger having detonated charge and an ignition train communicating I a cap located to fire the train, a I movable firing pin in operative relation to the cap, a sleeve having a slot with a camming wall in the path of travel of the firing pin when the plunger moves in the opening of the body, means for normally holding the firing pin against inward movement and operative to release the firing pin when the plunger moves in the openin hoods connected to the end of the body in spaced relation to each other for forming a charge holding chamber to be detonated by the charge in the plunger to in turn fire the charge in a projectile, and means for bold ing the parts in assembled relation to each other.

5. In a fuse, a body havingan opening therein, a plunger having a head movable in the opening, means engaging the head for normally holding the plunger against movement and operative to release the said plunger when a projectile carrying the fuse is in fiight, the said plunger having a detonating charge and an ignition train communicating therewith, a cap located to firethe train, a radially movable firing pin in operative relation to the cap, a sleeve having a slot with a camming wall in the path of travel of the firing pin when the plunger moves in the opening of the body, means for normally holding the firing pin against inward movement and operative to release the firing pin when the plunger moves in the opening, hoods connected to the end of the body in spaced relation to each other for forming a charge holding chamber to be detonated by the charge in the plunger to in turn fire the charge in a projectile, means for holding the parts in assembled relation to each other, a cap in the outer end of the plun er, a port having a firing charge to be ignited by the last mentioned cap, the said port communieating with the part of the plunger having the detonating charge, and a firing pin projecting into the outer end of the fuse for impinging the last mentioned cap when the plunger moves outwardly.

6. In a fuse, a body having an opening therein, a plunger slidable in the opening, a hood in communication with the opening and forming a guide for the plunger, means for securing the hood to the body, the said hood having an annular channel in its wall, a resilient element seated in the channel and having a portion thereof lying within the chamber of the hood and in the path of travel of the plunger, and operative to be expanded by force of the plunger for retarding the movement of the plunger longitudinally of the chamber.

7. In a fuse,.a body having a chamber, a plunger slidable longitudinally thereof, a hood connected to the body and having its interior formin a continuance of the chamber, whereby the said hood acts as a guide for the plunger, a hood surrounding the first mentioned hood in spaced relation thereto, a detonating charge in the space between the hoods, adapted to'be fired by the explosion of a charge within the plunger, a firing train located in the plunger in communication with the firing charge thereof, a cap for igniting the train, a radially mounted firing pin carried by the plunger in operative relation to the cap, and means for forcing the plunger inwardly when the fuse moves longitudinally of the chamber.

8, In a fuse, a body having a chamber, a plunger slidable longitud nally thereof, a hood connected to the body and having its interior forming a continuance of the chamber, whereby the said hood acts as a guide for the plunger, a hood surrounding the first mentioned hood in spaced relation thereto, a detonating charge in the space between the hoods, adapted to be fired by the explosion of a charge within the plunger, firing trains extending forwardly and laterally of the charge in the plunger, 2:, cap in the end of the plunger for firing one of the trains, an interchangeable firing pin in the end of the hood, the point of which is in the path of travel of the said cap, and a radially mounted and movable firing pin carried by the plunger, a cap in the path of travel thereof for igniting the other train, and means for forcing the last mentioned firing pin inwardly when the plunger moves longitudinally.

DOMINGO A. PISTORIO. 

